1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tool which facilitates the repair and reassembly of a vehicle tire and its inflating tube that is mounted therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
The subject matter of this invention is designed particularly to be used in conjunction with bicycle tires and motorcycle tires although this invention could be used with any tire of any vehicle.
Tires of motorcycles and bicycles are narrow and are also mounted on a relatively large diameter tire rim. When a tire has become flat or is being initially installed in position on the rim, the typical installing procedure is to force one tire bead of one sidewall of the tire casing over a rim flange of the tire rim thereby locating that tire bead in conjunction with the annular tire mounting cavity of the tire rim. Only a small space is now provided between the tire rim and the other sidewall of the tire casing. The typical procedure is to take an inflating tube and force such bit-by-bit through the small space into the tire mounting cavity until the entire tube is mounted within this cavity. Once the tube is within the cavity, it is necessary to find the valve stem and then manually cause that valve stem to connect with a valve stem mounting hole mounted in the rim and thread such through that hole. This is not an easy installing procedure.
In the past, for automobile tires, it has been known to utilize a tool that is installed in conjunction with the valve stem of the tube prior to the tube being inserted within the tire mounting cavity. This tool is inserted through the valve stem mounting hole prior to connecting with the valve stem. Therefore, when the tube is installed in conjunction with the tire mounting cavity, it is only necessary to pull on the tool which will then drag the valve stem into the valve stem mounting hole. This has eliminated the procedure of trying to put one's hand through the small space that is provided between the partially installed tire and the tire rim and finding the valve stem and then manually direct that valve stem into the valve stem mounting hole.
However, the prior art tool, which was designed to be used on automobile tires, includes a length of chain at one end on which is mounted a cap. This cap is internally threaded and the valve stem is to be threaded to the cap. The problem is the cap is larger than the valve stem. The valve stem mounting holes for automobile tires are made substantially larger in diameter so it is not a problem for this cap to be pulled through the mounting hole. However, valve stem mounting holes for motorcycles are made of a diameter just slightly larger than the valve stem. This means that that prior art device is not usable since the cap is too large of a diameter to be threaded through the valve stem mounting hole.
Also, threadingly attaching of the cap to the valve stem by the prior art device would cause the chain to twist forming knots in the chain. It would be desirable to design a valve stem puller which did not cause twisting of the chain when such is attached to the valve stem.